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Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics
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Now in its Seventh Edition, Neil J. Salkind’s bestselling Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics with new co-author Bruce B. Frey teaches an often intimidating subject with a humorous, personable, and informative approach that reduces statistics anxiety. With instruction in SPSS®, the authors guide students through basic and advanced statistical procedures, from correlation and graph creation to analysis of variance, regression, non-parametric tests, and more.  The Seventh Edition includes new real-world examples, additional coverage on multiple regression and power and effect size, and a robust interactive eBook with video tutorials and animations of key concepts. In the end, students who (think they) hate statistics will understand how to explain the results of many statistical analyses and won’t be intimidated by basic statistical tasks. 

A Complete Teaching & Learning Package accompanies the Seventh Edition!

Interactive eBook:
Save when bundled with the Seventh Edition. Includes access to SAGE Premium Video, multimedia tools, and much more -- Use bundle ISBN: 978-1-5443-9339-1. Learn more.

SAGE Premium Video includes animated Core Concepts in Stats Videos, Lightboard Lecture Videos from Bruce B. Frey, and tutorial videos for end-of-chapter of SPSS problems. Only available in the Interactive eBook. Learn more.  

SAGE edge: FREE online resources for students that make learning easier. See how your students benefit.

SAGE coursepacks: FREE! Easily import our quality instructor and student resource content into your school’s learning management system (LMS) and save time. Learn more.

Study Guides: only $5 when bundled with Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics, 7e. To order:

  • Study Guide and Interactive eBook bundle (ISBN 978-1-5443-9752-8)
  • Study Guide for Psychology and Interactive eBook bundle (ISBN 978-1-5443-9753-5)
  • Study Guide for Education and Interactive eBook bundle  (ISBN 978-1-5443-9754-2)
  • Study Guide for Health & Nursing and Interactive eBook bundle (ISBN 978-1-5443-9755-9)


Watch the demo Lightboard Lecture Video on Normal Curve now! 


 
A Note to the Student: Why We Wrote This Book
 
Acknowledgments
 
And Now, About the Seventh Edition . . .
 
About the Authors
 
PART I • YIPPEE! I’M IN STATISTICS
 
Chapter 1 • Statistics or Sadistics? It’s Up to You
Why Statistics?

 
A 5-Minute History of Statistics

 
Statistics: What It Is (and Isn’t)

 
What Am I Doing in a Statistics Class?

 
Ten Ways to Use This Book (and Learn Statistics at the Same Time!)

 
About the Book’s Features

 
Key to Difficulty Icons

 
Glossary

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
PART II • SIGMA FREUD AND DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
 
Chapter 2 • Computing and Understanding Averages: Means to an End
Computing the Mean

 
Computing the Median

 
Computing the Mode

 
When to Use What Measure of Central Tendency (and All You Need to Know About Scales of Measurement for Now)

 
Using SPSS to Compute Descriptive Statistics

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 3 • Understanding Variability: Vive la Différence
Why Understanding Variability Is Important

 
Computing the Range

 
Computing the Standard Deviation

 
Computing the Variance

 
Using SPSS to Compute Measures of Variability

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 4 • Creating Graphs: A Picture Really Is Worth a Thousand Words
Why Illustrate Data?

 
Ten Ways to a Great Figure (Eat Less and Exercise More?)

 
First Things First: Creating a Frequency Distribution

 
The Plot Thickens: Creating a Histogram

 
The Next Step: A Frequency Polygon

 
Other Cool Ways to Chart Data

 
Using the Computer (SPSS, That Is) to Illustrate Data

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 5 • Computing Correlation Coefficients: Ice Cream and Crime
What Are Correlations All About?

 
Computing a Simple Correlation Coefficient

 
Squaring the Correlation Coefficient: A Determined Effort

 
Other Cool Correlations

 
Parting Ways: A Bit About Partial Correlation

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 6 • An Introduction to Understanding Reliability and Validity: Just the Truth
An Introduction to Reliability and Validity

 
Reliability: Doing It Again Until You Get It Right

 
Different Types of Reliability

 
How Big Is Big? Finally: Interpreting Reliability Coefficients

 
Validity: Whoa! What Is the Truth?

 
A Last Friendly Word

 
Validity and Reliability: Really Close Cousins

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
PART III • TAKING CHANCES FOR FUN AND PROFIT
 
Chapter 7 • Hypotheticals and You: Testing Your Questions
So You Want to Be a Scientist

 
Samples and Populations

 
The Null Hypothesis

 
The Research Hypothesis

 
What Makes a Good Hypothesis?

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 8 • Probability and Why It Counts: Fun With a Bell-Shaped Curve
Why Probability?

 
The Normal Curve (aka the Bell-Shaped Curve)

 
Our Favorite Standard Score: The z Score

 
Fat and Skinny Frequency Distributions

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
PART IV • SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT: USING INFERENTIAL STATISTICS
 
Chapter 9 • Significantly Significant: What It Means for You and Me
The Concept of Significance

 
Significance Versus Meaningfulness

 
An Introduction to Inferential Statistics

 
An Introduction to Tests of Significance

 
Be Even More Confident

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 10 • The One-Sample z Test: Only the Lonely
Introduction to the One-Sample z Test

 
The Path to Wisdom and Knowledge

 
Computing the z Test Statistic

 
Using SPSS to Perform a z Test

 
Special Effects: Are Those Differences for Real?

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 11 • t(ea) for Two: Tests Between the Means of Different Groups
Introduction to the t Test for Independent Samples

 
The Path to Wisdom and Knowledge

 
Computing the t Test Statistic

 
The Effect Size and t(ea) for Two

 
Using SPSS to Perform a t Test

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 12 • t(ea) for Two (Again): Tests Between the Means of Related Groups
Introduction to the t Test for Dependent Samples

 
The Path to Wisdom and Knowledge

 
Computing the t Test Statistic

 
Using SPSS to Perform a Dependent t Test

 
The Effect Size for t(ea) for Two (Again)

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 13 • Two Groups Too Many? Try Analysis of Variance
Introduction to Analysis of Variance

 
The Path to Wisdom and Knowledge

 
Different Flavors of Analysis of Variance

 
Computing the F Test Statistic

 
Using SPSS to Compute the F Ratio

 
The Effect Size for One-Way ANOVA

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 14 • Two Too Many Factors: Factorial Analysis of Variance—A Brief Introduction
Introduction to Factorial Analysis of Variance

 
The Path to Wisdom and Knowledge

 
A New Flavor of ANOVA

 
The Main Event: Main Effects in Factorial ANOVA

 
Even More Interesting: Interaction Effects

 
Using SPSS to Compute the F Ratio

 
Computing the Effect Size for Factorial ANOVA

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 15 • Testing Relationships Using the Correlation Coefficient: Cousins or Just Good Friends?
Introduction to Testing the Correlation Coefficient

 
The Path to Wisdom and Knowledge

 
Computing the Test Statistic

 
Using SPSS to Compute a Correlation Coefficient (Again)

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 16 • Using Linear Regression: Predicting the Future
Introduction to Linear Regression

 
What Is Prediction All About?

 
The Logic of Prediction

 
Drawing the World’s Best Line (for Your Data)

 
How Good Is Your Prediction?

 
Using SPSS to Compute the Regression Line

 
The More Predictors the Better? Maybe

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
PART V • MORE STATISTICS! MORE TOOLS! MORE FUN!
 
Chapter 17 • Chi-Square and Some Other Nonparametric Tests: What to Do When You’re Not Normal
Introduction to Nonparametric Statistics

 
Introduction to the Goodness-of-Fit (One-Sample) Chi-Square

 
Computing the Goodness-of-Fit Chi-Square Test Statistic

 
Introduction to the Test of Independence Chi-Square

 
Computing the Test of Independence Chi-Square Test Statistic

 
Using SPSS to Perform Chi-Square Tests

 
Other Nonparametric Tests You Should Know About

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Chapter 18 • Some Other (Important) Statistical Procedures You Should Know About
Multivariate Analysis of Variance

 
Repeated-Measures Analysis of Variance

 
Analysis of Covariance

 
Multiple Regression

 
Meta-Analysis

 
Discriminant Analysis

 
Factor Analysis

 
Path Analysis

 
Structural Equation Modeling

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 19 • Data Mining: An Introduction to Getting the Most Out of Your BIG Data
Our Sample Data Set—Who Doesn’t Love Babies?

 
Counting Outcomes

 
Pivot Tables and Cross-Tabulation: Finding Hidden Patterns

 
Summary

 
Time to Practice

 
 
Appendix A: SPSS Statistics in Less Than 30 Minutes
 
Appendix B: Tables
 
Appendix C: Data Sets
 
Appendix D: Answers to Practice Questions
 
Appendix E: Math: Just the Basics
 
Appendix F: A Statistical Software Sampler
 
Appendix G: The 10 (or More) Best (and Most Fun) Internet Sites for Statistics Stuff
 
Appendix H: The 10 Commandments of Data Collection
 
Appendix I: The Reward: The Brownie Recipe
 
Glossary
 
Index

Supplements

Student Study Site

edge.sagepub.com/salkindfrey7e

SAGE edge for students enhances learning, it’s easy to use, and offers:

  • an open-access site that makes it easy for students to maximize their study time, anywhere, anytime;
  • datasets that are available for download and use with exercises in the book;
  • eFlashcards that strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts;
  • eQuizzes that allow students to practice and assess how much they’ve learned and where they need to focus their attention; and
  • links to videos and podcasts for further exploration of statistical topics.

“ . . . Salkind and Frey’s Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics, Seventh Edition, takes the worrisome topic of statistics and turns it into an enjoyable enterprise.”

Amanda Graham
University of Cincinnati

“Of all the statistics textbooks that I have reviewed, Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics is by far the best.”

Brittany Landrum
University of Dallas

[Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics] eases students into concepts with clear intention for each chapter and prompts them to connect everything they've learned.”

Russell Brandon
Mississippi State University

“This [Seventh Edition] continues to be the best textbook for students not comfortable with statistics. While not sacrificing depth, the text makes difficult topics approachable. This texts meets my students where they are and allows them to gain the needed knowledge and appreciation of statistics.”

Christopher Ortega
Cortland University

“In its Seventh Edition, Salkind and Frey’s book provides a scaffolding journey for anyone that has a desire to learn the principles of statistics. This book begins with a foundation of defining the rudimentary principles of measurement, explains the principles of descriptive statistics, and disentangles the challenging principles of hypothesis testing and inferential statistics. It uses a very easy reading format, and it contains clear instructions to running all statistical procedures in SPSS®. The book has an amazing retrieval system of resources (data sets, problem exercises and more) that revitalizes teaching and learning. Therefore, I recommend this book without reservation.” 

Tyrone Bynoe
University of Michigan – Flint

“Two of my favorite statistical authors being together in one book may be a dream come true. Both Salkind's and Frey's texts have been a survival manual both for me and for my students. There are very few texts that carry both the weight of statistical grandeur along with the depth of content like this new text does. This is a masterpiece of statistical reference data that meshes the best parts of both authors and fills in the gap following the passing of Salkind. I can't wait to get this new text into the hands of my students and I know that this new book is going to become a foundational pillar in all of my classes.”

Jesse Buchholz
Northwest Nazarene University

“This book has a successful conversion mission. Indeed, it succeeds in converting statistics-shy students into statistics-savvy ardent learners. The re-appearance of this mind-catching treasure is a major plus in the effective teaching and easy learning of an introductory course in descriptive and inferential statistics.”

Abdol Abdollahy Zarandi
University of Texas at El Paso

“Salkind and Frey have written an informative and comprehensive text for the introductory statistics course that is also funny and disarming.  My graduate students - many of whom exhibit an initial wariness toward math courses and long-dormant math skills - have found it to be an unexpected pleasure and an accessible read.”

Diana Dansereau
Boston University

“Many students appear unaware that they are using statistics and research methods in their daily lives. When I mention statistics in the research methods course, some get very anxious and remind me that they are not ‘math people.’ Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics is a helpful supplemental text for a research methods course. It provides a different perspective regarding how statistics are used and helps students retrieve and build on their statistics knowledge. The text uses humor and interesting examples and helps illustrate why certain research issues are important.”

Adele Crudden
Mississippi State University

I love the layout of the text and the detailed and straightforward explanations of many of the concepts that students often struggle to comprehend when it comes to statistics. The authors' introduction of SPSS and their step-by-step instructions for its use was superior to any other texts that I considered.

Professor Craig Peck
Sociology and Criminal Justice, Simpson College
November 22, 2023
Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION: 

  • Retaining the student-friendly tone and presentation that made this text an international bestseller, new co-author Bruce B. Frey has added new real-world examples, and revised or expanded the explanations of many concepts for additional clarity.
  • This edition includes more on multiple regression, power and effect size, and a new feature on statisticians throughout history called "People (Who Loved) Statistics." 
  • Special Effects teaches the appropriate effect size to report and how to interpret it.
  • Contemporary publication standards (e.g. APA style) encourages reporting effect sizes in addition to significance.
  • This edition includes a greater focus on the importance of level of measurement in choosing a statistical procedure.
  • Additional discussion about contemporary approaches to research and defining variables (e.g. treating gender as a continuous variable, not as binary or categorical) has been added.
  • Some chapters that cover broad areas are now appendices that can be referenced as needed. 
  • Videos in the Interactive eBook available with the text that expand the learning experience include animated Core Concepts in Stats Videos and tutorial videos for end-of-chapter of SPSS® problems.
    • Lightboard Lecture Videos from Bruce B. Frey (one short lecture video per chapter) demonstrate each statistical procedure, captured using innovative LED glass technology.


KEY FEATURES:

  • "The Path to Wisdom and Knowledge" flowcharts help students learn how to select the appropriate statistical test in the core chapters covering inferential statistics and serve as an especially helpful resource for visual learners. 
  • Data sets in SPSS® give students ample practice opportunities for statistical software analysis.
  • Helpful icons highlight information that goes beyond the regular text, offer technical ideas and tips, provide step-by-step directions for processes, reinforce important points, and show students how to use the computer to perform select statistical tests.
  • A comprehensive glossary allows students to reference important terms.
  • Appendix A offers a 30-minute tutorial on using SPSS® to get students up and running quickly.
  • Appendix E provides a refresher on basic arithmetic operations and accompanying exercises to help students reinforce the basics before they get into the statistical content.
  • A supplemental study guide includes more examples and exercises for additional hands-on practice. Discipline-specific versions of the study guide are available for Psychology, Education, and Health and Nursing.